Archive for the ‘Firewalking’ Category

A couple of years ago, I did a Motivational Training Workshop for DEAF, Inc. in Massachusetts. One of the participants in that workshop was my Spirit Sistah, Crystal Dolphin. While the main feature of that workshop was a firewalk, I also taught other exercises as well, including breaking boards with your bare hand, and snapping arrows with your throat. To read about Crystal’s experiences with this workshop, click here.

Recently Crystal sent me a funny message on my pager about an experience she had related to this workshop. I asked if she would write up something about it, and the result can be found below. Thanks Sis, for taking the time to share your story.

Enjoy!

~ Ocean

While preparing for a July 4th weekend camping trip in the White Mountains, I was running errands and picking up supplies on my day off from work. Being in the area and having in my mind a recent discussion with my boyfriend on “the best” fishing lures, I decided to stop in Jerry’s Bait & Tackle.

Crystal camping with her canine companion, Mollie

I wandered in and began to look around. There were two customers at the counter getting some questions answered by Jerry’s right hand man, who excused himself to ask if I needed help. I smiled and responded, “That’s okay, thank you. Take care of these gentlemen while I browse. I may have a couple of questions after.” Honestly, I had a question that had nothing to do with fishing, but I’ll explain that later.

As I continued with my browsing, I got that “I’m being watched” feeling and I looked up to find the man behind the counter, continuing his conversation with his customers, but with eyes fixed on me. For a minute I speculated that he must have been thinking, “This gal goes fishing?” I figured I didn’t look the type. (Well, in actuality I don’t fish, but my sweetie does.) I set back to looking for those “best lures”, which I didn’t find. As I started back to the counter to ask about them, the man, still watching me, said in a slightly unsure tone, “I know you.”

I smiled and answered in a rather playful tone, “Do you?” I never thought he would recognize me. I had only visited the store once, three and a half years earlier after all, and I was not alone on that trip.

You could almost see the gears turning in his head as he was putting it together. Then suddenly his eyes widened and he exclaimed,

“You’re one of them crazy ladies that breaks arrows with your neck and walks on fire!”

LMAO!

Ocean had traveled to Massachusetts in October of 2005 to conduct a fire-walk workshop at Peace Abbey in Sherborn. Of course, being in my area this was a good time to visit with her Spirit Sistah, and put me to work helping her prepare for the workshop while we spent some time together. One thing Ocean wanted to include in the workshop activities was snapping the arrow. But this requires a specific type of arrow, which we were unable to find at any of the local sporting goods stores. On the evening before the workshop, we had stopped at a local restaurant to meet with some friends for dinner and drinks. Mentioning our dilemma, one acquaintance, who happens to enjoy hunting, piped up and told us we could find such arrows at Jerry’s Bait & Tackle. On the way to the workshop the next day, there we stopped. Well, two excited witches asking for a couple dozen arrows raised the eyebrows of the store’s owner and his staff. Ocean explained what the arrows would be used for, and even offered a demonstration, to which the owner responded, “Um, no thank you, I’m certain I’m not insured for that!”

Snapping the arrow

Back to present day. Laughingly I said, “Well, that was going to be one of my questions. Are you still the only sporting goods shop in the county that sells those arrows? Because, mine’s broken!” and I pulled out of my bag my broken arrow from that workshop. He took it from my hands and stared at it, saying, “Woooow, you really did it?” Then his eyes went right to my throat, looking for the scar he was sure would be there. I asked if he wanted to see the bottoms of my feet too, because I did walk the fire as well. No scars, really! He just shook his head and smiled saying, “you gals are nuts!”

Unable to contain their curiosity any longer, the confused customers asked, “What do they do???” He answered that I had been in with my girlfriend a few years earlier for specific arrows, and that I had broken that arrow he was holding with my neck. Obviously this didn’t clarify anything for them. So he went and retrieved an arrow from a display, put the feathered end up against the wall and the point to his throat, holding it up this way, and explained, “They put it like this and walk into it until it breaks. I don’t know how they do it.” I said, “Well go ahead! You’re halfway there.” He stepped back and let the arrow drop into his hand, and said, “Oh, no, no, no. It’s all yours,” and handed me the arrow. I said playfully, knowing what the answer would be, “Oh, you want a demonstration this time?”

“Oh no! No, thank you! Jerry would kill me!” He chuckled, “but you can take that and break it however you want. “

Well then, feeling l couldn’t leave without buying something, I said, “I’ll take two”, and paid for the second one and assured him I’d be back to visit sooner this time. I took my broken arrow, my new arrows, said thank you, and left the store thinking I must give kudos to Jerry’s Bait & Tackle in Milford, MA for their excellent customer service, and the staff’s excellent memory. I was amazed that I was recognized even without my “partner-in-crime”, over three years since our visit there. Ocean and I must have made quite an impression!

I sent a quick text to Osh to share the story. She got a kick out of it, and thought you all would too. (So I’m finally getting round to it! It’s been a busy summer!)

I was halfway home before I realized that I had forgotten all about asking about the lures for my boyfriend – ooops. But that’s okay, we’ll have to make a habit of visiting there for such supplies. We both prefer to support our local shop owners anyway. And I’ll just have to go back, because my brand new arrows are broken! 😉

The broken arrow

One now sits on my boyfriend’s shelf in his bedroom. He had found a nice private little spot in the mountains that he had wanted to take me to as he said it had a very “spiritual feeling”. And that it did, and I just happened to have my arrows in my backpack. The other currently adorns my altar. Evan claimed he never wants to see me do that again. LOL I guess we’re not going to get him to attend one of Ocean’s fire-walk workshops anytime soon.

A FACEBOOK NETWORKED BLOG

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 320 other followers

MEET OCEAN

Ocean is the creator & manager of this blog. Born deaf into an all-hearing family, she was raised oral and attended hearing schools. Ocean began learning sign language at the ripe old age of 16, and after meeting a Deaf man began her own journey through Deafhood. She graduated from Gallaudet College (now University), and has held positions both within & outside of the field of Deaf Services.

Ocean has been a practicing Pagan for nearly 40 years, and is an ordained High Priestess of the Wiccan tradition. She considers herself "an eclectic witch," with a primary focus on Celtic Spirituality, but an interest in many different areas. A skilled tarot reader, she once donated her services to help raise funds for a Domestic Violence agency. She has also done workshops on aromatherapy, herbalism, & Paganism for the Deaf Community.

Currently Ocean is offering presentations where she discusses the merger of her spirituality as a Pagan with her identity as a Deaf woman, and also teaches workshops on Signs for Pagan Spirituality. Please contact her if you would be interested in sponsoring such a presentation or workshop.

As a passionate advocate, Ocean often speaks out on the need for greater access for Deaf people (Pagan or otherwise) - interpreters, captioned videos, CART, etc...and works to build bridges between the Deaf & Hearing communities.

She lives on the banks of the Ohio River with a grumpy feline wizard named Gandalf, and is currently working on a book discussing the merger of her identity as a Deaf person with her spirituality as a Pagan.

To contact Ocean,
you may email her at oshginva@gmail.com

MAKING CONNECTIONS

This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!

BLOG & CONTACT INFO

Deaf Pagan Crossroads is a blog, operated by one individual - Ocean. It is not an on-line coven or community. While I do have limited knowledge of and contact with other Deaf/ASL Pagans around the country, I am not aware of any Deaf covens. I'm happy to share what information I may have, but I may not have the answers you are seeking. I encourage readers to do their own research and find their own answers whenever possible.

Those who wish to contact me privately may do so by sending an email to

oshginva@gmail.com

Please be aware that it may take me a few days to respond, depending on my time and priorities.

Thank you!

WANT TO REBLOG OR TO USE EXCERPTS FROM POSTS ON THIS BLOG?

Sometimes readers will see something here and wish to use it in a paper or on their own blog/website. Others may desire to reblog a post.

While I am flattered by such interest, please be aware that most of the writings on this blog site are the property of Deaf Pagan Crossroads and are copyrighted by Virginia L. Beach. As such, they may not be reproduced nor reblogged elsewhere without the expressed permission of the owner. I'm usually pretty open to allowing usage of such if you just take the time to ask.

Permission may be granted by contacting Ocean at oshginva@gmail.com

Thank you.

copyright 2006 - 2014 Virginia L. Beach

NOTICE TO COMMENTERS

Deaf Pagan Crossroads loves comments, and encourages its readers to "comment long, and comment often!" However, please be aware that if you put up a comment here that links to a website which is clearly commercial (advertising items or services for sale), YOUR COMMENT WILL BE REMOVED. Deaf Pagan Crossroads does not endorse any businesses, nor does it serve as a free advertising site. Post your comments, but leave your links off! Thank you.